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Western Deserts

The most rugged and remote area in Australia, the Western Deserts region covers a vast area of Western Australia. The last frontier where the challenges to the 4WDer are many but the rewards gained are even greater.
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 Description  Region Feedback
 Weather & Climate  Related Pages
 Treks  Recommended Reading
 Road Conditions
In this Region

 Description


The Western Deserts is a vast area of Western Australia, and the region covers parts of the Little Sandy Desert, Gibson Desert and the Great Sandy Desert. The population is sparse, the challenges many, and extensive preparation for 4WD travel in this region is essential. This is an area that is best travelled in the winter months due to extremely high temperatures through summer.

The area is rich with history and many people travel the major treks in this region to follow in the footsteps of some of the toughest explorers in the world. What the likes of Major Peter Warburton, Ernest Giles, William Gosse, John Forrest, David Carnegie and Alfred Canning (to name a few) must have had to endure travelling across the "Western Deserts" is hard to imagine. Thirst, hunger, fatigue, extreme cold and heat, and local hostility to name a few. Surveyors such as Len Beadell, who graded many of the tracks in later years, also found the going tough when asked to grade roads for nuclear and missile areas around WWII. Later still, rich ore and gold opportunities in the area were discovered and there is evidence of mining, past and present, as you travel the region.

This area offers many opportunities for the 4WDer, but be prepared for some challenges. Desert travelling means long distances between supply points and the need for carrying large quantities of water and fuel plus making arrangements for permits through Aboriginal land. The rewards that come with travelling this region are its absolute remoteness, the desert environment and its constantly changing landscape and following the path of history. There are also incredible rock formations, springs and gorges, fantastic station country, Aboriginal communities and rock art and the feeling of being miles from anywhere.

The deserts offer their fair share of wildlife - some rare and beautiful birds around rock holes and springs, lizards, kangaroos, emus and the occasional dingo family. If you're lucky enough to be in this region after recent rains, the deserts literally spring to life with magnificent everlastings and beautiful wildflowers.

 Western Deserts Weather & Climate

Closest Weather Station

Halls Creek at 22:00 04 Jul WST
Distance from Halls Creek 0.67km SW
TemperatureFeels LikeRel. HumidityDew PointPressureRainfallWind DirectionWind SpeedGusts
16.6°C 13.2°C 28% -1.9°C 1018.5hPa 0.0mm ESE 6km/h
3knots		 9km/h
5knots

Closest Climatic Station

Halls Creek Airport
Distance from Halls Creek 0.67km SW
 JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec
Mean Max. °C 36.735.735.433.8 30.027.327.230.0 34.037.238.437.9
Mean Min. °C 24.323.722.820.4 16.813.712.614.8 18.922.724.524.7
Mean Rain mm 153.2142.178.320.6 12.65.15.62.0 4.517.236.881.4

 Western Deserts Treks

Anne Beadell Highway Anne Beadell Highway
An inland alternative to travelling the Nullarbor, the Anne Beadell trek offers remoteness, isolation and unique vegetation and wildlife.
Canning Stock Route Canning Stock Route
The Canning Stock Route is a long-distance remote stretch of track through the Gibson and Great Sandy Deserts. No longer in use as a stock route this is now a vehicular track allowing access to the wells constructed as stock watering holes. [Feature Story]
Carnarvon Range Carnarvon Range
The little known Carnarvon Range is nestled between the Canning Stock Route and Kumarina Road House. Originally discovered by John Forrest, this range rises majestically out of the spinifex plain; it has gorges, rockholes, waterfalls and aboriginal art. Few people visit the range and its environs; it’s a 4Wdriving paradise and a magical place to visit.
Connie Sue Hwy Connie Sue Hwy
Named after the daughter of Len and Anne Beadell, the very remote Connie Sue Highway runs over 650kms from the railway town of Rawlinna to the Aboriginal community of Warburton.
David Carnegie Road David Carnegie Road
The David Carnegie Rd is a little travelled track between the Great Central Rd and the Gunbarrel Hwy. It is a spectacular piece of country with rocky outcrops, spinifex plains and breakaways and in parts challenging 4WDing with deep ruts and washaways.
Eagle Hwy Eagle Hwy
The Eagle Hwy is a very isolated track in the Gibson Desert. At the northern end it can take you to the Gary Highway or the Talawanna Track and the southern end finishes at the Gunbarrel Hwy
Goldfields Loop Goldfields Loop
Go back to the turbulent days when new towns sprouted soon after a gold find only to turn to ruins after the gold dried up. The trek paints the picture of the gold rush days in WA, the jubilance and hardships faced and the towns that survived.
Great Central Road Great Central Road
Part of the "Outback Way", the Great Central Road is the main thoroughfare through Central Australia and links WA to NT. It is widely used by buses, trucks, 4WD and occasionally 2WD vehicles.
Gunbarrel Highway Gunbarrel Highway
The Gunbarrel Hwy is one of Australia's most famous roads being the first of many desert tracks built by surveyor Len Beadell. Today, this track remains isolated and remote - for experienced desert travellers only.
Hunt Oil Road Hunt Oil Road
This remote trek links the Gunbarrel Hwy with the Great Central Road. It passes via Mount Worsnop and past the Hunt Oil road camps and drilling sites.
Puntawarri Track Puntawarri Track
The Puntawarri Track is an east-west track situated between Jigalong and the Canning Stock Route (CSR). The track joins the CSR at Canning’s Cairn in the Durba Hills.
Sandy Blight Junction Road Sandy Blight Junction Road
The Sandy Blight Junction Road is one of those great four wheel drive trips that one visit will not be enough to experience the true beauty of this remote part of Outback Australia.
West Great Victoria Desert West Great Victoria Desert
This trek covers the western section of the Great Victoria Desert and is definately 4WD country. If you take this route you will follow in the footsteps of explorers Frank Hann, The Elder Expedition and Len Beadell.

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 Related Pages

Western Australia Western Australia
Western Australia, the largest state, comprises 2.5 million sq km. With a population of 1.8 million it is the 4th most populated state in Australia. 40% of the state is located within the tropical zone - the rest is in the temperate zone where the capital city Perth is located. WA is 8 hours ahead of GMT.
Western Deserts Road Conditions Western Deserts Road Conditions
Road conditions information for: Anne Beadell Highway, Canning Stock Route, Connie Sue Highway, Gary Junction, Goldfields Highway, Great Central Road, Gunbarrel Highway, Heather Highway, Kalgoorlie/Goldfields/Mid West, Kidson Track/Wapet Road, Murchison, Rudall River NP, Sandy Blight Rd, Talawana Track, Trans Continental Railway Service Access Track [Feature Story]

 Recommended Reading

Raster 50K Kimberley WA - DVD Raster 50K Kimberley WA - DVD
The map images on the DVD are digital scans of the Defence Departments 1:50,000 topographical map series that covers most of the Kimberley region of north-west W.A in addition to major offshore islands and reefs.
$119.00 [Add to Cart]
Western Australia Road and 4WD Atlas Western Australia Road and 4WD Atlas
Hema’s brand new Western Australia Road and 4WD Atlas contains 147 pages of detailed mapping all presented in an easy-to-read B4 coil-bound format. The South West region is covered with 96 pages of all-new mapping, at a scale of 1:250 000. The rest of the state is drawn from Hema’s best-selling regional maps, at a scale of 1:1 000 000.
Natmap Digital Maps 2008 Natmap Digital Maps 2008
NATMAP Digital Maps 2008 is the next generation of Geoscience Australia's popular NATMAP Raster 1:250 000 scale topographic digital maps. NATMAP Digital Maps 2008 are exact digital copies of Geoscience Australia's NATMAP topographic maps. They cover the whole of Australia at 1:250 000 scale, and are current to 2006.
SE5210 Gordon Downs SE5210 Gordon Downs
This 1:250K topographic paper map covers an area about 150km from east to west and 110km from north to south (1.5 degrees longitude by 1 degree latitude). The map contains natural and constructed features including road and rail infrastructure, vegetation, hydrography, contours (interval 50m), localities and some administrative boundaries.
$10.00 [Add to Cart]Allow 2 weeks for delivery
Canning Stock Route Canning Stock Route
WestPrint Heritage Maps are designed to provide the traveller with a guide to understanding the history and environment through which you travel on outback tracks. This map contains notes on the history of the surveying and building of the CSR by Alfred Canning and the subsequent well reconditioning by Snell.
Kimberley Kimberley
Thoroughly field-checked using Hema's GPS Mapping System, The Kimberley map clearly differentiates between roads and tracks and shows all road distances, points of interest, and facilities. The reverse side comes alive with photos capturing the essence of this rugged landscape. The text is packed with historic, cultural and tourist information on the Kimberley Region.
The Kimberley Explorer Card The Kimberley Explorer Card
Thoroughly field-checked using Hema's GPS Mapping System, The Kimberley map clearly differentiates between roads and tracks and shows all road distances, points of interest, and facilities. The reverse side comes alive with photos capturing the essence of this rugged landscape. The text is packed with historic, cultural and tourist information on the Kimberley Region.
Kimberley - StreetSmart Kimberley - StreetSmart
Excellent, detailed map including camping areas, caravan parks, picnic areas and covers major towns and attractions. Covers Broome, Derby, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek, Kununurra, Wyndam and includes the Gibb River Road.